by Jeff Gluck, USA TODAY Sports

by Jeff Gluck, USA TODAY Sports

DOVER, Del. - There's usually nothing that can distract laser-focused Jimmie Johnson during the 10 weeks of NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup.

He's won five championships after retreating into his mental bubble, thinking only about what it takes to go fast week after week.

But when he crossed the finish line of Sunday's AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway, Johnson said his first thought wasn't about the Chase. Instead, he reflected on the history he had just achieved: A record eighth Dover win, breaking a tie with Richard Petty and Bobby Allison.

After stumbling into the playoffs amid the worst four-race stretch of his career, Johnson's consecutive top-five results were overshadowed in the first two events by 1-2 finishes from Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch.

Not anymore.

Johnson is now just eight points behind Kenseth - worth eight positions on the track â?? and showed he's in his typical autumn form despite a quiet two months, by his standards. This was his first win since Daytona in July.

"I think Jimmie is probably the most underrated champion we have in this industry," crew chief Chad Knaus said. "He is by far and away the most powerful driver over the course of the last 25-35 years in this sport. It's pretty fun being able to work with him."

Johnson, sitting adjacent to Knaus during the post-race news conference, allowed himself a smile.

"Thanks, man," he said.

To win on Sunday, Johnson said, he had to "drive the (stuff) out of that thing."

That's because Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. was behind him on the final restart with four fresh tires to Johnson's two - the result of pit strategy.

Knaus knew taking two tires would eventually be trumped by four, but had already figured there would be enough time to hold off Earnhardt. Busch took the lead with two tires earlier in the race and was overtaken in 27 laps, Knaus observed; on Sunday's final run, there were only 26 laps left.

"We worked hard and tried to understand what we needed to do for strategy and, fortunately, it paid off for us," he said.

That's not a surprising development considering the history of the No. 48 team. Johnson and Knaus have been a formidable pair unlike any the sport has seen over the last decade.

And though it was mildly surprising not to see better results from Johnson in the first two Chase races - he finished fifth at Chicagoland Speedway and fourth at New Hampshire Motor Speedway - Knaus said the team had been "capable of winning the first two races."

At Chicago, a NASCAR official delayed a pit stop with an incorrect call about a missing lugnut before correcting himself; at New Hampshire, Knaus said Johnson was bottled up on a couple restarts and couldn't get the track position he needed.

But entering Dover, the team felt extremely confident. Johnson had a chance to win the June race here until NASCAR penalized him for jumping a late restart (the restart rule has since been changed) and Knaus brought the same car back for Sunday's race.

"What we're doing right now is we are just trying to establish a foundation and set ourselves up for the second half of the Chase," Knaus said. "As long as we do that, we're going to be where we need to be."

With seven races left before a champion is determined, the trio of Johnson, Kenseth and Busch have separated themselves from the rest. Near the halfway point of the race, they were running 1-2-3; all three finished in the top seven and the top 10 was made up entirely of Chase drivers for the first time in the playoff's 10-year history.

"When you look up (at the scoring pylon), everybody that finished in front of you - it's all cars that you're racing for points," Kenseth said after finishing seventh. "Certainly, I wanted to do better than that."

Johnson said he's well aware that Kenseth and Busch are going to be leading laps and posting good results every week. At Kansas Speedway - where the series travels next week - Kenseth has won the last two races.

"I was thinking about (the competition) when I was in the car," Johnson said. "My whole thought process was just how tough this championship is going to be.

"They're bringing their best and doing their best. You've got to deliver."